President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Directs $100 Million to Lower Heating and Cooling Bills

As President Biden and his Administration work to lower costs for working families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra announced the release of $100 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help families pay their outstanding heating and cooling bills. This funding comes on top of investment in the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) through the American Rescue Plan and the Continuing Resolution most recently passed by Congress. 

The $100 million is the first installment of the five-year, $500 million investment in the program provided from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. With historic investments from the American Rescue Plan, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,and Continuing Resolution, the Biden-Harris Administration has spearheaded the largest distribution of funds over a 12-month period since LIHEAP was established in 1981.

“Millions of working families are experiencing unusually high heating and cooling costs, and it is important that we provide them with the support they need,” said Secretary Becerra. “I will continue to work with President Biden to protect the health and well-being of all families in need and help lower their energy bills.” 

ACF’s Acting Assistant Secretary JooYeun Chang noted, “The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is a landmark piece of legislation that provides support at a time when LIHEAP will be an important part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to lower costs for working families.”

The $500 million included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, is the Administration’s third appropriation of LIHEAP funding in the past year. In March 2021, Congress more than doubled the annual amount of LIHEAP funding – appropriating $4.5 billion in supplemental funding through the American Rescue Plan Act, in order to account for higher needs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. In September 2021, Congress appropriated $3.7 billion in annual LIHEAP funding through the Continuing Resolution. In total, the three appropriations mark a historic investment of nearly $8 billion over a 12-month period. A state-by-state breakdown of how this historic funding is being allocated can be found below.

LIHEAP is critical to helping vulnerable households meet their home energy needs this winter, particularly as heating costs are estimated to rise significantly. Low-income households expend three times more of their income on energy costs than more affluent households. This funding moves the needle on energy justice – improving the equitable distribution of assistance. 

“Our job is to help low-income households maintain continuous, affordable and safe home heating and cooling services, as well as address each energy crisis as quickly as possible,” stated Dr. Lanikque Howard, director of the Office of Community Services at ACF. “The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will help deliver progress towards these efforts.” 

Individuals interested in applying for energy assistance can search for their local LIHEAP intake agency or office using HHS’ map of LIHEAP Local Agency Locations. Alternatively, they can contact their state, territory or tribal office, or contact ACF’s Office of Community Services for assistance at 1-866-674-6327. Please visit the LIHEAP website or read the LIHEAP brochure in English or Spanish to get more information.

About the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) 

Since 1981, the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) has been providing critical home energy assistance to those most in need. Eligible households receive benefits for heating, cooling, and crisis assistance, weatherization, budget counseling, and/or other vital services to help achieve safe and healthy indoor air quality and temperature. More than 30 million American households experience high energy burden with more than five million households receiving assistance through LIHEAP each year. These services have been a lifeline to many individuals and families who would have faced shutoffs or would have had unmanageable arrears, not to mention the health implications of unsafe indoor temperatures, particularly for households with members who are elderly, disabled and/or a young child.

HHS LIHEAP Funding Awards that May be Used in FY 2022

STATE/TERRITORYi	ARPA Award (May 4, 2021)ii	FY 2022 CR Award (November 1, 2021)iii	FY 2022 Infrastructure Act Award (January 25, 2022)	Total Awards from ARPA and FY 2022 Appropriations
Alabama	$41,305,882	$56,406,127	$2,682,444	$100,394,164
Alaska	$14,390,003	$10,212,175	$313,945	$24,916,115
Arizona	$23,569,301	$26,214,931	$1,688,238	$51,472,369
Arkansas	$30,164,262	$29,809,774	$809,945	$60,783,979
California	$203,610,805	$179,228,041	$4,177,848	$387,016,694
Colorado	$71,759,071	$53,827,678	$1,545,991	$127,132,740
Connecticut	$94,096,941	$65,781,175	$2,003,413	$161,881,519
Delaware	$12,883,578	$12,188,013	$355,385	$25,426,944
District of Columbia	$14,560,741	$10,333,343	$317,672	$25,211,749
Florida	$80,777,150	$89,844,309	$5,785,953	$176,407,065
Georgia	$63,876,744	$71,046,847	$4,575,402	$139,498,719
Hawaii	$4,995,879	$4,719,446	$166,951	$9,882,219
Idaho	$26,673,978	$18,929,763	$581,945	$46,185,672
Illinois	$252,788,881	$155,362,999	$3,175,315	$411,327,195
Indiana	$114,066,354	$70,324,816	$1,322,623	$185,713,770
Iowa	$78,507,818	$49,844,389	$937,361	$129,289,553
Kansas	$38,821,123	$33,327,874	$235,620	$72,384,617
Kentucky	$61,571,174	$51,647,357	$1,572,878	$114,791,257
Louisiana	$41,415,195	$50,324,275	$1,307,770	$93,047,219
Maine	$55,172,305	$35,028,740	$658,740	$90,859,774
Maryland	$73,506,086	$69,851,450	$1,505,787	$144,863,323
Massachusetts	$187,074,431	$120,461,255	$3,972,082	$311,507,456
Michigan	$238,219,248	$146,524,948	$2,749,484	$387,493,655
Minnesota	$167,346,852	$106,248,039	$1,998,074	$275,592,931
Mississippi	$33,752,229	$33,175,153	$932,139	$67,859,475
Missouri	$103,843,419	$75,090,936	$2,284,410	$181,218,721
Montana	$27,134,445	$19,256,542	$591,992	$46,982,965
Nebraska	$41,180,965	$29,208,760	$898,443	$71,288,146
Nevada	$11,597,336	$12,899,126	$830,700	$25,327,111
New Hampshire	$35,498,757	$25,192,456	$774,475	$61,465,668
New Jersey	$172,973,948	$112,665,663	$3,945,446	$289,584,406
New Mexico	$22,314,041	$18,984,981	$0	$41,299,022
New York	$535,676,404	$340,099,422	$6,395,824	$882,171,542
North Carolina	$86,970,460	$96,322,663	$3,031,982	$186,324,348
North Dakota	$27,147,464	$19,265,782	$592,275	$47,005,506
Ohio	$226,879,639	$140,491,616	$4,470,005	$371,841,260
Oklahoma	$31,955,095	$38,316,431	$872,191	$71,143,717
Oregon	$54,008,001	$33,704,628	$1,081,558	$88,794,187
Pennsylvania	$297,671,482	$182,800,295	$3,417,885	$483,889,633
Rhode Island	$30,818,515	$21,871,020	$672,368	$53,361,886
South Carolina	$35,117,531	$45,075,688	$2,923,507	$83,116,523
South Dakota	$24,482,535	$17,374,556	$534,136	$42,391,213
Tennessee	$64,310,966	$66,094,629	$1,897,763	$132,303,167
Texas	$134,407,308	$149,494,402	$9,627,413	$293,528,548
Utah	$32,932,053	$23,370,940	$718,478	$57,021,453
Vermont	$26,607,583	$18,882,643	$580,497	$46,070,708
Virginia	$90,218,680	$88,899,724	$2,833,722	$181,951,488
Washington	$86,208,581	$57,425,673	$1,053,477	$144,687,731
West Virginia	$40,464,237	$28,716,314	$882,807	$70,063,336
Wisconsin	$150,636,196	$95,638,491	$1,798,553	$248,073,210
Wyoming	$12,721,025	$9,029,982	$276,494	$22,027,495
Subtotal to States	$4,428,682,697	$3,316,836,280	$98,359,406	$7,843,873,163
Subtotal to Tribes/ Tribal Organizations	$48,803,948	$38,434,012	$1,132,653	$88,375,845
American Samoa	$372,429	$278,797	$8,402	$659,628
Guam	$816,537	$611,253	$18,422	$1,446,212
Northern Mariana Islands	$283,604	$212,305	$6,398	$502,307
Puerto Rico	$20,268,659	$15,172,946	$457,298	$35,898,891
Virgin Islands	$772,126	$578,007	$17,421	$1,367,554
Subtotal to Territories	$22,513,355	$16,853,308	$507,941	$39,874,592
Total to All Recipients	$4,500,000,000	$3,372,123,600	$100,000,000	$7,972,123,600

i. ARPA is the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.  All funds to state recipients are net of tribal set-asides.
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ii. ARPA awards show the full LIHEAP amounts awarded to ARPA recipients for use in FY 2021 or FY 2022.  They don’t necessarily show the amounts of these funds that are available to these recipients for FY 2022.

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iii. These figures differ from the ones presented in LIHEAP DCL 2022-01 because of changes to two tribes and the resulting redistributions that set states and territories at no less than their FFY 2020 levels.

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